July 2014

JULY’S BEEN A SCORCHER!

Sunshine hours and temperatures have been well above average and until the intense downpours at the end of the month, set to be one of the driest on record. Despite making a conscious effort to introduce plants and shrubs suited to hot, dry conditions, this month even some of these have been finding it hard to cope.

Amazingly though, in a scruffy corner of the garden it is looking quite likely that without urgent intervention the huge stand of Macleaya cordata (plume poppy) will soon take over the whole border. Giant hollyhocks are also thriving and all without a drop of water from me.

This is in sharp contrast to my past experience of these plants where, in the rich London clay of my previous garden neither did well – never has Beth Chatto’s mantra ‘right plant for right place’ proved to be so true.